Parshas Vayishlach

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

In this week's parsha, we read the incident in which Yaakov Avinu wins the feud against Esav's malach. The pasuk tells us that Yaakov's name is changed to Yisroel because he bested both man and angel.

Rashi tells us that after Yaakov beat Esav's angel no one could say that he took Esav's brachos illicitly. It was clear from the fact that he won the fight that the brachos were rightly his. How is this so?

The Zera Shimshon calls upon a Gemara in Sanhedrin (93a) that says that a righteous man is greater than an angel. However, this is only accurate if the man is completely righteous. Yaakov could have never beat Esav's malach had he not been completely righteous in taking Esav's blessings.

As Rashi explains, the fact that Yaakov won the fight and his name was changed to Yisroel, this proves that he wholly deserved these brachos.

Source: Zera Shimshon Parshas Vayishlach